My wife and I ate here for lunch on a Sunday. We very much like to try different beers and thought we'd finally give this place a try. Sadly, it disappointed in pretty much every respect.
When we walked in through the back door, we were concerned that it might not even be open. There was no music and we couldn't see anyone in the restaurant until we turned the corner. As nice as the decor, the restaurant just doesn't have any energy. Among the few people present, no one looked happy to be there, including the staff. It's a very odd and chilling feeling to be in a restaurant that is so small and has such good sunlight, yet seems less lively than a funeral parlor.
Our server came over and provided us with the beer list. Considering its focus is on their beers (hence the name draught house), you'd think they'd have an impressive selection that would distinguish it from other establishments. Short of the two farmhouse ales we ordered, everything else on the menu is found on tap at every other bar in town. If you're going to market yourself to craft beer enthusiasts, you have to actually put in the effort to get distinct beers. If not on tap, then available in cans and bottles. And if your not going to distinguish yourself based on beers, then at least do it with the food. Sadly, this restaurant is failing there as well.
My wife originally planned to order a Greek salad. The waitress asked her what dressing she would like. Seemed odd to me that that question needed to be asked. My wife inquired about the options, none of which were Greek salad dressing. How do you have a Greek salad on your menu and not offer Greek salad dressing? She ended up ordering the grilled chicken Caesar instead. It was decent although not exceptional.
As for my food, I ordered the meatball sub. Which, really, was just a decision based on that being one of the few options other than burgers. One thing I didn't mention earlier, was how long it took our food to get out to the table. It was 25-30 minutes. I imagine that was due to the sub, given that my wife's salad really only needed to be dressed before being served. So you'd think, given the time it took to compose, it would be a masterpiece. When my sub came out, I was not impressed. The bun was toasted, but the provolone cheese on top looked sad, translucent, and as though it only spent about a minute under the broiler. As for the meatballs and marinara sauce, all I can say is that they were bland. That description is more colorful and exciting than the meatballs and sauce themselves. I would not be surprised if they bought in frozen meatballs and canned marinara. The best part, the sandwich could barely pass at being called Luke warm. I had to call the server over and send it back. When she told me she would have them prepare me another, the thought of having to wait another 30 minutes for such a terrible sandwich filled me with dread. I politely refused the replacement sandwich and asked for our check.
We really wanted this place to be good. And I think it can be. But to do so, they have to put in a lot more effort. There are so many better options in the immediate vicinity to choose from. This restaurant needs to 1) find out what distinguishes it from the other, much better restaurants in the area, 2) retool the menu, focusing on producing their own high quality food rather than buying in substandard product, 3) if you want to call yourself the draught house, you can't just slap 35 random taps on the wall. You have to get a large variety of distinct beers and, a crucial necessity, you have to train your staff to be informed about the beers and how to help customers identify what beers they would like, and 4) get your staff excited. They are just going through the motions at this point. And if they're not upbeat and positive, your customers won't be either.
In sum, the place isn't terrible, it's just not good. Or exciting. Or interesting. In any way.
By the way, your website explicitly lists the kitchen is open Monday-Saturday for varying hours. It does not list Sunday, leading people to assume that perhaps you don't serve food on Sundays. I'd correct that. Maybe you'd get more business from the church goers looking for brunch after service. read more